The Girl Next Door
by GrnEydDvl
Summary: A one-shot sequel to "I Remember This One Time." It's about Hitsugaya Toushiro and Kurosaki Karin's daughter. She wants to go to prom with the neighbor's boy, but what happens when his parents disapprove of the couple? HitsuKarin second generation fic.


**This one-shot is a sequel to my story, "I Remember This One Time." If you haven't read it, you can probably still get the gist of this story, but there may be some things you don't understand. I just felt like that story deserved a follow up and I had this idea that I thought would be fun to write. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters. I only own my own characters and ideas.**

The Godai family of Karakura Town were not particularly big fans of their neighbors. Oh sure, they were nice enough people when they wanted to be, barring the entire family's unusual obsession with practicing kendo on their front lawn every night. But there was just something strange about the Hitsugayas. First, there was that shed in their backyard. For years they had kept it bolted and padlocked, like they were keeping something highly valuable or extremely dangerous in there. It had naturally been a source of fascination for little Kyoya, who had come home one day deathly pale and gasping for breath, saying only that he had finally broken into the Hitsugaya's shed. No matter how hard his mother pressed, she couldn't get another word out of him. The next day, the padlock was gone and no amount of questioning could convince the Hitsugayas to tell them what on earth had been in there that had frightened Godai Kyoya to within an inch of his life.

And then there was that mysterious job of Hitsugaya Toushiro. He said he worked for the government and couldn't disclose any details, but the Godais rarely saw him leave the house. They wondered for a while if he simply worked from home, but his wife Karin always said he was away at work when they asked about his whereabouts.

The Godais also wondered about the unusual visitors that often congregated in the Hitsugaya household. Beefy, muscular brutes, young girls, and especially that large chested strawberry blond woman, all hung around the house on a regular basis. They all had an usual air about them, like they were out to kill something and weren't quite accustomed to life in Japan; they certainly asked a lot of awkward questions and pointed and laughed at common objects.

Now, the bizarre accidents that occurred on the street couldn't exactly be attributed to the Hitsugayas, but there had been no collapsing streetlamps, craters in the road, or water main breaks _before_ they had moved in. But maybe the Godais were just being paranoid.

So needless to say, when Kyoya came home one day declaring that he had asked Hitsugaya Masaki to the prom, his parents were none too thrilled.

oooooooooooooooooooo

"Kasan!" Masaki cried exuberantly, slamming the front door behind her, kicking off her shoes haphazardly, and tossing her bag onto the couch where it landed next to a kendo sword and a heap of clean laundry Karin had been too lazy to put away.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Karin replied. Masaki bounded into the kitchen, careful to give the senkai gate a wide berth. She grabbed a piece of chocolate from the bowl on 

the counter and shifted a pile of magazines off a chair to sit down next to her mother, who was flipping through a book with a furrowed brow.

"What do you want for dinner Masaki?" Karin asked absently, turning another page. Masaki grinned. In most other houses, Karin would be leafing through a cookbook searching for a tasty looking recipe, but Masaki knew her mother better than that. Karin didn't cook a thing. Ever. The only time they ever had a home cooked meal was when they went to their Aunt Yuzu and Uncle Jinta's house. No, the book that was currently holding Karin's attention was a phonebook as she tried to decide which restaurant to call for takeout.

"Kasan!" Masaki said, ignoring her mother's question. "Guess what? Godai-kun just asked me to the prom!"

"What!" Karin exclaimed, all thoughts of dinner forgotten. "That's wonderful! I'm so glad you found someone to go with!" In actuality, Karin couldn't fathom why her daughter wanted to go to the prom so badly. It seemed so entirely against her nature. Masaki was usually much more comfortable in a kendo uniform or sweatpants than a fancy dress; she was very like her mother in that respect. But for some reason, her friends had made a really big deal out of prom, and as they all got dates, Masaki became desperate for someone to ask her. So, even though she didn't really understand it, Karin was happy for her daughter.

"Are you going to be able to find something to wear on such short notice?" Karin asked. "Prom's tomorrow isn't it?"

"Hana-chan said I could borrow one of her dresses. She's got about a dozen." Masaki and Karin were still chatting about prom details several minutes later when the senkai gate opened and Hitsugaya stepped out just in time to hear Karin say,

"I agree, I think your hair will look fantastic that way." He smirked.

"I never thought I would hear you two talking about hair," he said in a highly amused voice.

"Tousan!" Maskai said happily, giving him an enormous hug. She was completely unperturbed by the fact that he appeared to be exactly the same age as her; he had looked that way her entire life and she just accepted it.

"So what's this about your hair?" he queried, still smirking.

"Godai-kun asked me to the prom!" she said joyously.

"That neighbor's boy?" Hitsugaya asked with a frown. "I thought that family hated us. They're too normal and we're too weird."

"Who say's we're weird?" Karin demanded, looking down at her 15 year old husband. "What family doesn't have a senkai gate in their kitchen?" All three of them stared laughing.

Hitsugaya stepped into his gigai, which made him look about 40, and gave Karin a kiss.

"So," he asked, "what's for dinner? I'm starving."

"Dinner!" Karin cried, turning back to her phonebook. "I completely forgot!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

"I'm home," Godai Kyoya announced, carefully removing his shoes and placing them in their proper place on the shoe rack before hanging his bag on the designated hook on the wall.

"Welcome home Kyoya," his mother called from the kitchen. Kyoya followed his nose into the spotless kitchen, where the smell of roasting meat and vegetables was overwhelming him. He came up to the stove where his mother was stirring a pot and leaned over in anticipation.

"Don't even think about it," his mother preempted. "You know we don't snack before dinner." Kyoya sighed, then sat at the table, watching his mother add salt to the pot.

"So how was your day?" she asked politely.

"I found a date for the prom," he replied.

"Oh?" his mother responded with something akin to interest. "Who did you ask?"

"Hitsugaya-san," Kyoya mumbled, looking down at the table. He heard his mother sigh, and felt, rather than saw the look she was giving her stew.

"There is something about that family I just don't like," she said gravely. "They're too…different."

"What's wrong with being different?" Kyoya retorted. He normally never talked back to his mother, but he had finally, after weeks of hesitation, mustered up the courage to ask Masaki to the prom, and he wanted to defend his decision. His mother sighed again.

"They associate with unusual people," she replied.

"You can't fault Masaki for that!" Kyoya protested. "They're her parent's friends, not hers."

"Yes, but that house is so filthy," she said with disgust.

"There's a difference between messy and dirty," Kyoya said, mimicking Karin's philosophy on housework, which was so different from his own mother's. Karin believed that as long as things where physically clean, who really minds a bit of mess. It makes a house feel lived in. Kyoya's mother on the other hand, thought that every speck of dust was her enemy and that every item in the house had its proper place where it belonged when not in use. Kyoya rather preferred Karin's method of doing things, but he would never have the courage to say so to his mother.

"We'll see what your father has to say," his mother replied, pulling the trump card. Kyoya's face fell. He knew that he would do whatever his father told him to do. He was slightly afraid of the man, and definitely couldn't talk back to him. As it stood, his chances of taking Masaki to the prom looked rather bleak. He sighed deeply, then headed to his room, deciding that maybe if his speech was good enough, he could convince his father to let him go.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Masaki came down the stairs and Hitsugaya gasped. His fatherly instincts almost didn't want to let her out of the house. She looked more stunning than he could ever remember her being. It reminded him of the first time he had seen Karin dressed up in a fancy kimono rather than her usual t-shirt and shorts. Who knew that under the tomboy, under the baggy clothing and messy hair, his daughter was a nymph? He had always thought she was beautiful, he was her father after all, and what father doesn't think his daughter is the most beautiful girl in the world? But tonight, she was flouting it.

She was wearing a long black dress, simple yet elegant, with a modest slit on one side. Her ebony hair was twisted up in an elegant bun, with several curls trailing out the back. Emerald colored pendants dangled from her ears and neck, matching her eyes, which were the same color as her father's, perfectly. Her smile, dazzling and ecstatic, only intensified her natural beauty.

"Wow!" Karin gaped. "Masaki, you look incredible! Doesn't she?" Hitsugaya could only nod in response. How on earth had he produced such a magnificent daughter?

"Godai-kun should be here soon!" she said, and her excitement was glowing in her eyes. The doorbell rang.

"That's him!" she said eagerly, rushing to the door. She opened it and her face fell.

It was indeed Kyoya, but instead of a suit, he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, like it was any other night. He dropped his head, not wanting to look Masaki in the eye.

"Godai-kun," she said tentatively. "Aren't we going to the prom?"

"I'm really sorry, Hitsugaya-san," he said in a defeated voice. "My parents won't let me go."

"What?!" Karin screamed. Hitsugaya balled his hands up into fists. How dare they?!

"I'm…I'm so sorry," he stuttered, then turned on his heel and ran home, not wanting Masaki to see the tears he was trying so hard to fight back.

Karin put her arm around Masaki's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Masaki," she said in a comforting voice. Masaki seemed to still be in shock. She stood there for a moment, staring at the door, then lifted her head up high.

"I'm still going!" she said defiantly. "All my friends are going. They'll wonder what's happened to me. I'll see you later." And with that, she let herself out of the house, closing the door behind her with more force than she needed to use.

Hitsugaya and Karin looked at each other for a moment and sighed. They knew their daughter. They knew that she was only going to save face, but that inside, she was hurting tremendously. She could fool many people with her proud expressions, but she couldn't fool them; they did the same thing.

"I hate them," Karin spat bitterly.

"Karin," Hitsugaya tried to calm her down.

"They're evil!" she continued. "They never let Masaki play with Kyoya when they were children, they've fought their friendship tooth and nail their entire lives, and now they've ruined prom for both of them!" Hitsugaya was too busy feeling sorry for his daughter to be angry, but he agreed with his wife wholeheartedly.

Suddenly, Karin's face lit up as an idea struck her.

"You go," she said, turning to him.

"What?" he replied flabbergasted.

"You go," she repeated. "Go in a gigai. Not your usual one, a normal one, one that simply matches your body. You'll look 15, you'll fit right in. Go and dance with her. It just has to be one dance. All her friends have dates, she's just going to sit in the corner all night pretending not to be miserable. One dance and you'll make her night." Hitsugaya couldn't decide if he wanted to laugh or not.

"You think that one dance with her _father_ is going to make her feel any better?!" he asked incredulously. "She doesn't want to go to prom with _me_!" Karin sighed.

"It's not about you," she said impatiently. "It's about the other people there. Believe me, I know how teenagers think. And I didn't marry an attractive man for nothing." Hitsugaya still did not quite understand, and his confusion appeared to show on his face. Karin sighed.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time. I'll go find you a suit and you get a normal gigai from Urahara. Just trust me on this one. I was a young girl myself at some point you know."

"You were?" he teased. She smiled, then kissed him quickly.

"When you get back I can prove to you just how much of a girl I am," she said slyly, a gleam in her eye. Hitsugaya grinned.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Masaki was doing her best to have a good time. She made up some dumb excuse to her friends about where Kyoya was, then danced with the rest of them, trying to ignore the fact that they were all partnered off. It was actually fun for a while, but then a slow song started playing. Her best friend Hara shot her a sympathetic look before wrapping her arms tightly around her date. Masaki sighed, then made her way off the dance floor and towards the buffet, attempting to maintain her dignity.

She surveyed the hoer devours with apathy. She really had no interest in them. Suddenly, a voice behind her made her jump.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, and Masaki whipped around to face her father. But he wasn't in his usual 40 year old gigai. He was in a standard gigai and looked no older than she did.

"What…" she started to ask, but he simply took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, followed closely by the watchful eyes of everyone in the room.

Whispers broke out as Masaki, rough, unsophisticated Masaki, danced with the handsome stranger.

"Who is he?"

"He's gorgeous! Do you think he'll dance with me?"

"Why _Masaki_?"

The other prom-goers cleared a space around the most attractive couple in the room. Masaki's look of shock had given way to enjoyment and mild embarrassment as she noticed all the attention she was getting. Hara was gaping at her wide eyed, her own date almost forgotten.

When the song ended, Masaki gave Hitsugaya a warm smile.

"Thank you," she whispered. He smiled in response, then kissed her on the forehead and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, Masaki was bombarded with questions about the mysterious young man she had danced with. Boys she had never even spoken to seemed to look at her with interest, and all the girls begged her for details.

"He's just a friend," she replied airily, refusing to elaborate. She was thoroughly enjoying all the attention she was getting and the hidden messages she was sending, and she thanked her father a thousand times for making her prom a success.

It wasn't until lunch that Kyoya had the courage to pull her aside. She eagerly followed him around the back of the school, where they could have a little privacy.

"Hitsugaya-san," he said sincerely, "I'm really, really sorry about prom, and I…" but he was cut off by Masaki, who had pressed her lips to his. She pulled back and grinned at his look of utter confusion.

"But," he stuttered, "I thought you had some handsome prince charming who swept you off your feet?" Masaki laughed deeply and heartily.

"As I've told everyone else, he's just a friend," but she said it with much more sincerity this time. "I really like you, Godai-kun. I've always liked you."

"Really?!" he gasped, unable to believe it.

"Really," she replied. He grinned nervously for a moment, then leaned forward and kissed her. Despite what his parents said, Godai Kyoya had always been in love with the girl next door; ever since she had saved his life in her shed.

**Ok there it was. I hoped you liked it. I may or may not write an actual sequel, it depends on how many of you request one, so if you really want to see more, let me know.**


End file.
